RSPB CEO Beccy Speight has apologised after the charity called Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Therese Coffey and Michael Gove 'liars' over environment pledges.

In a thread of social media posts, the charity accused them of breaking promises not to weaken environmental rules. The post is still live at the time of writing.

After criticism, including from trustee Ben Caldecott, and conservative MP Mark Jenkinson who suggested the Charity Commission strip the organisation of its charitable status, Speight said the charity had been "frustrated" with plans to scrap water protection restrictions for housing developments.

But she said the "framing" of the post was "incorrect and inappropriate".

Policy not people

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, and reported by the BBC, she insisted the rules change on water protections "goes against" previous government pledges.

But she said it was wrong to target "individual people," adding that the RSPB wanted to campaign on "policy, not on people".

She added she had not approved the post before it went out, adding it had not gone through the charity's "normal protocols".

The post followed a government announcement on Tuesday that pollution restrictions for certain areas of England would be scrapped, as part of plans to encourage more housebuilding.

The government says the move will be offset by other measures to tackle pollution, and will mean up to 100,000 extra homes can be built by 2030.

RSPB also added the apology to social media.

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